Papers for

coding algorithm developers

Papers whose findings have a practical use for this group, as judged from the abstract. Open a paper to read what it means in practice.

Approximate simulation of communication channels with refined accuracy

Fine asymptotics for approximate simulation of symmetric channels

Abstract: We study the approximate channel simulation problem in the normal approximation regime. Our starting point is the fact established by Cao et al.~\cite{Cao_channel_simulation}, that the minimal codebook size $M_ε^*(W)$ for a fixed error tolerance $ε>0$ is closely related to the $ε$-smooth channel max-information, $I_{\max}^ε(W)$. Using this, we refine earlier large-blocklength approximations to $M_ε^*(W^{\otimes n})$ for discrete memoryless channels. Specifically, we provide tight third-order expansions for Gallager-symmetric channels and demonstrate that the third-order term is channel-dependent. As in corresponding channel coding expansions, we identify a substantial rate gap between singular and nonsingular channels. Notably, the direction of this gap is reversed relative to channel coding: The third-order term is $-\frac{1}{2}\log n$ for singular channels but $O(\log\log n)$ for nonsingular channels.

Sun 11 OctInformation Theory
The gist
This paper looks at how well we can simulate communication channels with some allowed error and how big the codebook (set of codes) needs to be. The authors focus on a specific type of channel called Gallager-symmetric channels and improve previous estimates by adding finer detail called third-order terms. They find that the exact improvement depends on the channel type, with different behaviors for singular and nonsingular channels. Interestingly, the nature of this difference is reversed from what is known in channel coding.
Open → 2610.15877v1

Deterministic broadcast channels fully described by bipartite graphs

The Deterministic Broadcast Channel Revisited: A Bipartite Graph Approach

Abstract: The general broadcast channel (BC) has attracted considerable attention because it is a central problem in network or multi-user information theory. The deterministic BC (det-BC), in which both output symbols are functions of the input symbol, plays a vital role in understanding general BCs. In the 1970s, Marton and Pinsker investigated the det-BC independently using a random coding approach and hence quantified its capacity region as functions of the entropy of output symbols. In this paper, we present a purely deterministic and combinatorial treatment of the deterministic BC, which is in contrast to Marton and Pinsker's probabilistic treatment. In particular, we show that each det-BC can be uniquely and completely characterized by a bipartite graph. Based on the bipartite graph model, we present the explicit capacity region of the general det-BC and a deterministic capacity-achieving coding scheme. Specifically, each point on the capacity region boundary is expressed as an explicit function of the degree sequences of the two parts, with boundary coordinates parametrized by the tangent slope. As a result, a closed-form capacity region, which was previously unknown except for special cases such as the Blackwell channel, can be analytically determined, without optimizing the probability distribution of input symbols numerically. For a bipartite graph consisting of multiple isolated subgraphs, there can exist a commonly decodable message while preserving the maximum achievable sum rate, and its achievable rate is explicitly characterized. Finally, the bipartite-graph formulation allows us to construct optimal finite-blocklength coding for the det-BC through binary linear programming.

Sun 20 SeptInformation Theory
The gist
Broadcast channels let one signal reach many receivers with different outputs. Previous studies used probability to understand how much information can be sent through these channels. This paper shows how to fully describe these channels without relying on probability, using a special kind of network called a bipartite graph. The authors provide exact formulas and methods to find the best way to send messages, which were unknown for most cases before.
Open → 2609.23322v1

Streamlined formula gives precise codeword weights in affine grassmann codes

Revisiting the Weight Spectrum of the Affine Grassmann Code $C^{\mathbb{A}}(2,m)$

Abstract: Affine Grassmann codes, introduced by Beelen, Ghorpade and Høholdt, are linear codes over $\mathbb{F}_q$ obtained by evaluating linear combinations of minors of a generic matrix. The weight spectrum of the affine Grassmann code $C^{\mathbb{A}}(2,m)$ was determined by Piñero and Singh via a case analysis on the rank of an associated alternating matrix. We give an independent and more streamlined derivation, valid for all $m\ge4$ and every prime power $q$, in which each codeword is written in a compact matrix form and its Hamming weight is expressed through a single closed formula involving two explicit affine subspaces and their intersection.

Wed 9 SeptInformation Theory
The gist
Affine Grassmann codes are special tools used in coding theory, where data is transformed using mathematical matrices. Finding the 'weight spectrum' means understanding how codewords vary in a measurable way called Hamming weight, which affects error correction. Previously, this involved complicated case-by-case analysis based on matrix properties. The authors provide a simpler, unified formula that expresses these weights clearly for a broad range of parameters, making it easier to understand and work with these codes.
Open → 2609.10274v1